hobby

1 of 2

noun (1)

hob·​by ˈhä-bē How to pronounce hobby (audio)
plural hobbies
: a small Old World falcon (Falco subbuteo) that is dark blue above and white below with dark streaking on the breast

hobby

2 of 2

noun (2)

plural hobbies
: a pursuit outside one's regular occupation engaged in especially for relaxation
Writing is just a hobby of his.
Her hobbies include gardening and bird-watching.
hobbyist noun

Examples of hobby in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
James Crumbley's wife, Jennifer, was convicted on Feb. 6 following a two-week trial that portrayed her as a selfish and philandering mother who spent more time on her horse hobby than with her son, ignored the teen’s mental health needs and supported his obsession with guns. Tresa Baldas, Detroit Free Press, 15 Mar. 2024 Ranti Studios has garnered nearly 25,000 followers since her initial beginnings with knitting as a hobby. Kerane Marcellus, Essence, 13 Mar. 2024 Had this been any other year, Heiko may have seen the experience as a fun new hobby. Ashley Stimpson, Washington Post, 12 Mar. 2024 Truely’s need for a hobby and built her a flowerbed. Esme Mazzeo, Peoplemag, 10 Mar. 2024 Leave a comment View Comments With a warm demeanor and talent behind the lens, Lauren is a natural celebrity photographer, but her career began as a hobby. Marie Lodi, CNN, 9 Mar. 2024 Those seeking to acquire a new hobby or test out a trending device before breaking the bank should look no further. Stephanie Lam, The Mercury News, 3 Mar. 2024 Tracy, who makes a hobby of researching dictators, deliberately expunged anything in the series that could be construed as a parallel to real-world events. Lili Loofbourow, Washington Post, 2 Mar. 2024 Time that used to be spent on hobbies, dates and bonding activities is now majorly spent on child rearing activities. Mark Travers, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'hobby.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English hoby, from Anglo-French hobel, hobé

Noun (2)

short for hobbyhorse

First Known Use

Noun (1)

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Noun (2)

1816, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of hobby was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near hobby

Cite this Entry

“Hobby.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hobby. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

hobby

noun
hob·​by
ˈhäb-ē
plural hobbies
: an interest or activity to which a person devotes time for pleasure
hobbyist
-ē-əst
noun

More from Merriam-Webster on hobby

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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